Airlines Strategy
United Airlines Updates MileagePlus Program Favoring Cardholders
United Airlines overhauls MileagePlus with higher rewards for credit cardholders and reduced benefits for others starting April 2026.
This article is based on an official press release from United Airlines.
United Airlines has announced a comprehensive restructuring of its MileagePlus loyalty program, marking a significant shift in how the airline rewards travelers. Effective for tickets purchased on or after April 2, 2026, the changes create a distinct “two-tier” system that heavily favors co-branded credit cardholders while reducing benefits for those who do not hold a United Chase card.
According to the airline’s announcement, the new structure is designed to give travelers “three new reasons” to acquire and use a United MileagePlus credit or debit card. These incentives include increased mileage earning rates, exclusive discounts on award travel, and expanded access to premium cabin inventory.
However, these enhancements come at a cost for general members. Travelers without a co-branded card will see their mileage earning rates decrease significantly, and earning miles on Basic Economy fares will be eliminated entirely for non-cardholders without Premier status.
The most immediate change is the bifurcation of mileage earning rates based on credit card ownership. United is moving away from a uniform earning chart to one that rewards cardholders with higher multipliers on flight spend.
Under the new system, primary cardholders will earn miles at an accelerated rate compared to the previous standard. The new base earn rates for cardholders flying on United are:
In addition to these base rates, cardholders earn a “payment bonus” when using their specific card to book the ticket. For example, the United Club Card now earns an extra 5 miles per dollar on United purchases, meaning a Premier 1K member could earn up to 17 miles per dollar total.
To balance the increased rewards for cardholders, United is reducing the earn rates for members who do not hold a qualifying card. The new rates represent a reduction of up to 40% for some tiers:
Beyond earning mechanics, United is introducing new redemption benefits exclusive to cardholders. According to the press release, these changes are intended to make miles more valuable for those invested in the co-branded ecosystem.
Cardholders will now receive an automatic discount on United and United Express award tickets. This discount applies to the mileage portion of the fare: Perhaps the most significant upgrade for frequent flyers is the expansion of Saver Award availability. United stated that cardholders will now have access to Saver Award inventory in United Polaris Business Class. Previously, this expanded availability was a perk reserved strictly for high-tier Premier Platinum and 1K elites. This change allows cardholders to combine better availability with the 10-15% discount, potentially lowering the cost of a business class seat from 80,000 miles to approximately 68,000 miles.
United is also tightening restrictions on its lowest fare class. For tickets purchased on or after April 2, 2026, non-cardholders who do not possess Premier status will earn zero miles on Basic Economy tickets. While cardholders will continue to earn miles on these fares, the rate will be reduced compared to standard economy tickets.
This move aligns United with competitors like Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, both of which have previously removed mileage earning from their most restrictive fare classes.
While premium cards like the United Explorer, Quest, and Club cards receive these benefits automatically, the entry-level United Gateway Card has a specific stipulation. According to the terms detailed in the announcement, Gateway cardholders must spend $10,000 in a calendar year on the card to unlock the higher earn rates and the 10% award discount. Failing to meet this threshold results in the cardholder being treated as a non-cardholder for these specific benefits.
This overhaul represents a definitive pivot in United’s loyalty strategy, explicitly positioning the MileagePlus program as a credit card rewards ecosystem first and a frequent flyer program second. By slashing earn rates for non-cardholders, particularly international travelers who cannot easily access US-issued Chase cards, United is signaling that flying alone is no longer sufficient to earn meaningful rewards.
The strategy mirrors broader industry trends where airlines generate substantial profit from selling miles to banks rather than flying passengers. While the devaluation for the casual traveler is steep, the value proposition for the “United Loyalist”, someone who holds a premium card and flies regularly, has arguably improved. The ability to access Polaris Saver inventory without top-tier status is a powerful incentive that may drive significant card acquisitions.
Furthermore, United is technically “late” to the Basic Economy restriction. Delta removed earnings on these fares years ago, and American Airlines followed suit effective December 2025. United’s unique twist is using the credit card as a “key” to restore those earnings, creating a direct financial incentive to hold the card even for budget travelers.
When do these changes take effect? Do I lose miles I have already earned? What if I have a United card but don’t use it to pay for the flight? Does this affect international members? Sources: United Airlines Press Release, Chase.com
United Airlines Overhauls MileagePlus: Major Boost for Cardholders, Cuts for Everyone Else
A New “Two-Tier” Earning Structure
Increased Rates for Cardholders
Devaluation for Non-Cardholders
Exclusive Award Discounts and Inventory
Automatic Redemptions Discounts
Expanded Saver Award Access
The Basic Economy Restriction
The “No-Fee” Card Caveat
AirPro News Analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
The new rules apply to tickets purchased on or after April 2, 2026.
No. Your existing mileage balance remains safe. The changes only affect how you earn miles on future flights and how many miles are required for future redemptions (via the new discounts).
You will still earn the “Cardholder Base Rate” (e.g., 6 miles/$ for a General Member) just for holding the card and linking it to your account. However, you will miss out on the additional “payment bonus” (3-5 miles/$) awarded for charging the ticket to the card.
Yes. International members who cannot apply for US-based United credit cards will be subject to the lower non-cardholder earn rates (3-9 miles/$), effectively devaluing the program for them by roughly 40%.
Photo Credit: United Airlines